The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-17
PEACE ON EARTH.
The Change Which Has Lately Come Over
tho Spirit of Statecrnf(

AAAo SN,'''~" "btch tlaA Lately Come OYeP
tho Spirit of Statecrnu.
1t is happy and significant SIGN of
inc present state Of human eulirbtcn-
ment, and a hopeful augury for the
future, that cool. temperate counsels in
the adjustment of international cues
tons are superseding the old-time arbi-
trament of the sword. Questions, the
mere broaching of which century ago
would be but the herald to the clash Of
arms, are now settled by more "a
tional tribunal, and war, that charnel-
house OF history, is rapidly being rele-
gated to the obscurity of the barbaric
past. The millennium of peace may not
be exactly upon us. but its dawn is
rapidly approaching. and right, not
might, is fast becoming the presiding
genius of the hour.
The most superficial glance at the
moves recently made, and those in
progress, upon the chess-board of Eu-
ropean politics, will show the change
which has come over the spirit of state
craft No sooner does the acquisitive
bump of one power manifest DISPOSE
ton of aggression toward another, than
the statesmen of the other powers COM
bine, convince the representative of
the would-be aggressor of the injustice
or foolhardiness of the proposed on
slaught. and promptly puncture tho
threatened war bubble. Look at Rus
STA to-day! What keeps her hand from
the throat of Insignificant Bulgaria, but
the diplomatic combinations of the
other powers, which tell the autocratic
Muscoyite that his grievance, if he has
any, must be determined by another
tribunal than thatof his armed legious,
a tribunal before which the little prin-
eipality will have as fair hearing as
her powerful and domineering adver-
sary. Other instances might be cited
TO prove that the genius of peace is
abroad, and that the "pomp and cir
cumstance of glorious war" are rapidly
losing their terrible and bewildering
fascination to nations; but it is "a suili-
cient argument in favor of the potency
of the new order of things that it can
restrain the hand of the most auto
cratic power in Europe. How near we
are to the time when the battle of the
council board will entirely supersode
The sancuinary contention of mighty
armies must be apparent, when so emil
nent soldier as General Sheridan is
moved to give expression to such words
as those which came from his lips not
long since at Philadelphia.
The same broad-minded, conciliatorv
spirit which now makes its presence
felt in the direction of the policy IF ma
lions, is likewise present in the councils
chat determine the relations between
man and man. Particularly is its in
luence apparent in the methods
adopted for the settlement of industrial
disturbances, and in smoothing the diff
'erences between employers and en-
ployed. There is less apparent dis
position on the part of the former to
lold themselves aloof from the consid-
aration of the just claims of those upon
whose skill and fidelity the success of
their enterprises are dependent. And
on the part of the latter there is re-
cognition of the necessity of so regu-
lating their demands within reasonable
bounds as to make their justice appar-
ent, and on the part of both employers
and employed to submit their differ
ences to an impartial tribunal, and to
make the mutual concessions requested
by the arbitrators. Thus the same
generous spirit for the peaceful settle
ment of disputed points is beginning
to dominate the councils of nations
and of men.
The visit and the purposes of tho
English peace deputarion to this coun-
try calls forcible attention to the happy
which are at work in behalf
of humanity; influences which appeal
to the highest and noblest impulses. and
are destined to achieve the greatest
good to the world. The closing years
of the present century herald the dawn
of that which the next century may SEQ
in its full and glorious reful gence, clos
ing forever the bloody book of war.
and opening to the light of heaven and
the pen of the happy chronicler tho
pure and ne'er-to-be-sullied pages of
beauteous peace. BLESSED be the
peacemakers." says the beatitude; and
well may we add: BLESSED be arbitra-
ton. whose mandate is the oracle Of
peace. -BoSton Budget
Flags of the Confedercy